One Night, One Room
by hughville
Summary: House and Cameron console each other after the events in the episode One Day, One Room.  House/Cameron established relationship.


**A/N: This takes place immediately after the events in the S3 episode _One Day, One Room_.**

House inserted the key into the lock of his front door. From inside he could hear the strains of a melancholy song. Pushing open the door, he stood in the doorway and surveyed the room. A fire crackled in the fireplace providing the only light. Cameron swayed in time to the music. Dressed in a tank top and panties, she clutched a tumbler of Scotch as she moved in time to the music. Her dark hair swung like a slow pendulum across her back and glinted in the light from the fire.

House quietly closed the door and propped his cane against the wall. Moving silently into the room, he placed his keys on the desk and slid out of his coat, scarf and jacket. He dumped them on the stool next to the umbrella stand. He toed off his shoes and unbuttoned his light blue shirt. Tossing it on the desk chair, he reached out and turned off the music. Cameron stopped swaying and turned to face him.

"You ratted me out," he commented as he moved to sit on the couch.

Cameron drained her glass and reached for the bottle of Scotch on the coffee table. Filling her glass, she took a long swallow.

"Least your patient didn't die," she informed him.

"No, she just wormed information out of me. We talked," he grimaced.

Cameron finished her drink and started to reach for the bottle again. House grabbed it and carried it into the kitchen. She followed him and dropped the glass in the sink. It shattered and they both stared at the gleaming shards.

"Somebody's gonna have to clean that up," House commented.

Cameron shrugged and weaved her way to the refrigerator. Opening the door, she pulled out two beers. She handed one to House and popped the top off the other. Draining the bottle in one long swallow, she burped delicately and handed the empty bottle to House. He grabbed her hand when she reached to open the refrigerator again.

"I'm officially cutting you off," he told her.

Wrapping one arm around her waist, he guided her back into the living room. She shrugged his hand off and went to the window.

"It's snowing," she told him.

House sank down on the couch and opened his beer. He took a sip and then rolled the bottle between his palms.

"She was pregnant," he told Cameron.

Turning, she looked at him with sadness. "Terminate?"

He nodded.

She sighed and made her way to the couch. Sinking down, she stretched out and lay her head in House's lap. He put the bottle on the floor and began to stroke her hair.

"Probably for the best," she sighed.

House remained silent, gently raking his fingers through the silky strands of her hair.

"What happened?" he finally asked.

"Homeless guy with end stage lung cancer came in and just wanted a place to sleep. I admitted him and tried to give him something to make him comfortable. He wouldn't take it. Said if he didn't die in pain, no one would remember him; I wouldn't remember him. Told me that his father told him he would die alone. He didn't, though. I sat with him until the end."

He traced the delicate curve of her cheek. "One day, one room," he sighed.

"Huh?"

"That's what my patient said. Life is a series of rooms and who we get stuck in those rooms with adds up to what our lives are," he explained.

Cameron rolled onto her back and looked up at him. "And tonight? In this room?"

House rested on hand on the concave plane of her stomach and the other on the top of her head. "Tonight, in this room, I'm with you," he told her. "Difference is that I'm choosing to be in this room with you."

Tears welled in her eyes and he moved his right hand down to wipe them away as they slid down into her hair.

Cameron sat up and carefully sat in his lap. Wrapping her arms around him, she rested her head on his shoulder. House slid his arms around her narrow waist and leaned his head against hers.

"You know," she told him, "people would be shocked to see us right now."

He laughed quietly. "They'd be shocked to see us do a lot of things."

"Are you still okay with not telling anyone?" she asked.

House sighed. "Yeah. At least I know you aren't keeping our relationship a secret because you're ashamed to be seen with some old cripple."

Cameron lifted her head and pressed light kisses over his face. "I've never been ashamed of you."

"I'd still love to see Wilson's face."

Cameron giggled. "You almost got to last week when he dropped by unannounced."

House nuzzled her neck. "Good thing he didn't go into the bedroom."

Cameron giggled again. House kissed her jaw and pulled back.

"You are drunk," he told her.

She nodded and giggled. "I'm very drunk."

"Go get into bed and I'll bring you something to keep your hangover from killing you in the morning."

Kissing him, she got up and made her way unsteadily toward the bedroom.

"Bathroom first," he called out.

Limping into the kitchen, he got yogurt, a banana and some honey. From the cabinet he pulled down a bowl and glass. He pulled open a drawer and got a spoon and knife. He sliced the banana into the bowl and mixed it with the yogurt before drizzling honey over it all. He filled the glass with ice and water. Carefully he carried everything into the bedroom.

Cameron was sitting up, naked, with the covers bunched around her waist.

House thrust the bowl at her. "Eat," he commanded.

She pouted but ate the banana, yogurt and honey concoction. House took the bowl from her and handed her the water.

"Drink it all and then hit the bathroom one more time," he told her.

She lifted the glass and House watched as she drank every drop of the water. She sucked some of the ice out and handed the glass to him.

He returned the dishes to the kitchen and then went back to the bedroom. Cameron was returning from the bathroom and House began to undress. He slid beneath the covers and Cameron immediately wrapped her arms and legs around him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she shivered. He pulled the blankets up over her, covering her completely. Stroking her hair, he felt her relax against him as she succumbed to sleep.

House lay in the dark listening to her soft breathing. He thought about what his patient said. He knew that as long as Cameron was in the room with him, his life would be just fine. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
